


Not Again

by Sira



Category: The Closer
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-16
Updated: 2012-02-16
Packaged: 2017-10-31 07:02:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/341251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sira/pseuds/Sira
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a sequel to 'Unreal'. I'm not sure if there'll be a third installment at any point.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not Again

**Author's Note:**

> All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

She’d handed in her application.

Will wasn’t pleased and this might very well be the understatement of the year.

Fritz wasn’t pleased either. Of course, he told her he was supporting her, would always support her, but she could feel he didn’t mean it. Now how to argue a point with someone who was insisting everything was fine?

And that wasn’t even anything there was.

Two weeks ago, Sharon Raydor had followed her like a lost puppy, annoying her more than she was willing to admit and only one week ago, she had kissed her nemesis, a fact she still wasn’t able to comprehend. She began to understand the meaning of the term temporary insanity.

Now, her boss was pissed with her, her husband had left on yet another trip, and she was none the wiser. It felt like she was losing the ground under her feet, her life spinning out of control, and she had no idea what to do about it.

Lingering in her office on a Friday evening, browsing through reports without reading them, she found going home held no appeal. There would be Joel, of course, but the thought of just her cat, a meal warmed in the microwave and some tv wasn’t enough to prompt her to leave the office just yet. Although sitting here, staring at reports that could wait a few days, consuming way too much candy couldn’t be it either. 

After more than an hour of indecision, after even the last of her men had left, she packed her bag, headed out of the building. She stopped in front of her car, fondled her car keys, quite unwilling to leave for home. No, this wouldn’t do.

Turning around, she left for a little coffee shop not far from here. She’d only been there thrice, but she’d enjoyed the quiet atmosphere and the cake, especially the cake. Another advantage was that it wasn’t a cop shop; most probably the nostalgic fifties feeling wasn’t raucous enough for most of today’s cops. If she went there now, there was a remote chance she’d be left alone.

Entering, she let her gaze travel around, only to stop dead in her tracks. Oh… shoot. Of all the people she might spot here, why did it have to be Sharon Raydor? The FID captain hadn’t seen her yet, was sitting in a booth, toying with a fork and was reading a book. So maybe she should just take her chance and leave before anything could happen, whatever anything might entail. Something about Raydor made her lose her composure from one moment of the next. It was unfair. This woman unsettled her while remaining calm herself. Sure, Raydor had lost her composure once, had yelled at her, in front of Will nonetheless, but even then she’d been in control of herself. Quite the contrast to how she felt when she was around that woman.

And as if mutual dislike and rubbing each other the wrong way wasn’t bad enough. She had kissed this woman. Had enjoyed it if she was honest with herself, something she tried to avoid at all costs. For days afterwards she’d waited for Raydor to show up, demanding answers and trying to find out what had possessed Brenda to kiss her, but she hadn’t. In fact, she’d only seen Raydor twice, both times in passing. She even thought Raydor had smiled at her. Not that she was quite sure. Maybe it had been a snarl. She shook her head. Her thoughts were running in circles, starting with Raydor ending with Raydor. Why couldn’t she forget about her?

As if that woman had heard her thinking, she looked up, turned, her gaze meeting hers.

What now?

Leave or stay?

She wasn’t a coward, wouldn’t run only because she couldn’t get a handle of a woman that was basically her subordinate. Putting on a smile that surely looked as fake as it felt like, she walked further into the coffee shop, took the next free table which in fact was bordering on Sharon’s.

Out of the corner of her eye she could see the amusement on Raydor’s face. Oh screw it. Getting up again, she walked the short distance, smiled.

“Captain, I only just saw you. I didn’t know you use to frequent this coffee shop.”

“Chief.” Sharon inclined her head in a way of greeting. “I think I might be frequenting it more often than you, seeing as I’m a regular and that I didn’t see you in here before.”

“Well, I only recently discovered it. Great cake. Did you try the cheesecake?” Now she’d started to ramble, the last thing she had intended to and quickly shut her mouth. Why was she trying to hold a polite conversation with this woman anyway? They didn’t like each other, and one kiss didn’t mean a thing, right? Only that this was a very good looking woman, one she’d enjoyed kissing.

If it hadn’t been too obvious, she’d have pulled her hair in frustration.

“Anyway, enjoy your evening.”

“Do you want to sit down?” Raydor asked just as she was about to turn.

Sit down? No, thank you. But… It would seem rude to decline the offer, wouldn’t it? And she’d be the one who’d talked to her first. That could be chalked up the fact she was the one coming in when Raydor had already been here though. She nearly sighed. Hadn’t Fritz told her she should stop thinking so much? Only that Fritz was one of the reasons she found herself here in the first place. She tried another smile.

“Of course, how nice of you. Thank you.´

It looked as if Raydor wanted to say something, but then she simply smiled. Somehow Raydor’s fake smile was a more perfect version of hers. Hers was almost believable when one ignored the sarcastic gaze accompanying it.

“You’re welcome. And yes, I tried the cheesecake. Although I prefer the raspberry cheesecake.”

“They do have raspberry cheesecake?” For a second she’d forgotten where she was and who she was with. “I’ve got a fondness for raspberry cheesecake,” she tried to explain.

“They only have some on Wednesdays and Fridays. I can recommend trying it out.”

After all the candy she’d devoured today, cake should be the last thing on her mind, yet she ordered a slice, was surprised when Raydor followed suite. The evidence, in this case an empty plate with a few crumbs spread on it, was testament to the cake Raydor must have consumed earlier, and she felt her eyebrow raise at the observation.

“You aren’t the only one with a sweet tooth,” Raydor exclaimed.

“It’s a…surprise, that’s all.”

You mean the fact the ‘Wicked Witch of the Witch’ liking candy seems strange.”

“I didn’t… I never… I mean.”

Raydor lifted her hand. “Let’s forget about it. And see, here’s the cake.”

Why did it seem Raydor was always a step ahead of her, was calm where she was jumpy? It was infuriating.  
Digging into the cake instead, she found it was delicious, and a moan slipped past her lips while her eyes fell closed.

“Good?” 

Nothing better to make her snap back to reality than Raydor’s voice. Her eyes flew open.

“It’s very good.”

Raydor took a bite of her own cake, and fascinated Brenda watched how the woman’s eyes widened, seemed to get even more luminous when the rich, creamy taste hit her taste buds. She was obviously enjoying herself. Was there some common ground between them after all?

She took another bite, and for a while they ate in silence. After she’d drunk a sip of coffee, she spoke without thinking again.

“What are you doing here tonight? Is no one waiting for you?”

Not only was the question a rude one, her tone of voice had been everything but polite as well. She inwardly cringed while waiting for Raydor’s reaction.

“Is that your way of questioning if I’m single or married? As the superior officer you should be able to take a look at personnel records. And I’d bet good money you have.”

Well, she had. And yes, she knew that Raydor was single. Well, if roles were reversed Raydor would’ve looked up the information as well, of that she was sure.

“That someone is single doesn’t mean there isn’t someone.”

Raydor smiled, conceded the point with a nod. “True. Although my private life is none of your business, so I’m sorry but I’ll refrain from an answer.”

“You think that’s fair? After you sniffed after me, right down to my affair with Will.”

Raydor laughed out, a rich, throaty chuckle. “I’m not a candidate for chief of police. But if we’re playing twenty questions, how does it come you’re here. You’ve got a husband. Doesn’t he miss you?”

Did he? Somehow Brenda doubted Fritz was thinking much of her at the moment. There had been too much discord between them in the last months. If she had to guess she’d say he was out, partying with some of his friends in Washington. Or maybe he was asleep by now.

“He had a meeting in Washington today, will only be back tomorrow,” she answered.

“Trouble in paradise?”

The question came unexpected, had her open and close her mouth in surprise.

“I’m sorry to say, Chief, but your face is like an open book.”

“I’ve got nothing to hide, that’s all. And I’m afraid I won’t answer your question either as this is distinctively none of your business.”

The question why she’d kissed Raydor of all people came back to her again. Could alcohol really lower inhibitions that far? She gave Raydor a once over, her gaze catching when she reached the mouth she’d felt against her own not that long ago. Had it even happened? The way they both acted it might’ve been nothing more than a dream, a figment of her imagination.

Raydor put down her fork, got out her wallet and placed some dollars under her plate.

“You know,” she began in her best conversational tone, “That’s how it had started the last time, too.”

Ouch. A slap would’ve done the trick as well. She opened her mouth to reply, but for once nothing was forthcoming. Raydor got up, grabbed her purse.

“I hope you’re going to have a good night.”

A small smile, and she’d turned around, was leaving. How did Raydor dare leaving her annoyed and confused once more? She hastily grabbed her purse, had trouble locating her own wallet. When she had managed to pay her own tab, Raydor was gone for over a minute. Heading out in a haste she couldn’t explain to herself, she left the restaurant, saw Raydor at the far end of the street. Breaking into a run, Raydor had nearly reached the department’s parking space when Brenda caught up with her.

Raydor turned at the steps nearing her, her hand reaching inside her jacket. At recognising her, she visibly relaxed.

“Chief, is there something else I can do for you?”

“Yes, stop confusing me.”

Without giving both of them a second to contemplate what was happening, she passed the distance between them, pressing her mouth to Raydor’s. While part of her wanted to freeze in shock, another was moaning when Raydor’s tongue skimmed over her bottom lip. Brenda had no idea who parted her lips first, but within moments their tongues were sliding against each other in a sensual dance. Sparks of pleasure ran down her back, and her hands began to map out Raydor’s body, formidable even in a suit.

They had to break the kiss out of need for air and Raydor, or shouldn’t it be Sharon in this case, Brenda would be damned if she knew any longer, stepped back.

“We have to stop doing that,” she said.

“Do what?” Brenda asked, wiping her mouth, battling the urge to kiss Sharon once more. This couldn’t be right, just couldn’t.

“Kiss in public. Some day we’ll be caught.”

What was going on in Raydor’s mind? She couldn’t fathom it. How could she stay so calm? Wasn’t she affected at all? Although there was a flush to her skin, a healthy flush, adding to her good looks. Brenda pulled at her hair for real this time.

“We shouldn’t be kissing at all. We don’t like each other. We don’t see eye to eye. This can’t be happening.”

“And yet you kissed me twice.”

“And you liked it.”

“I might have. Anyway, I gotta go.”

She couldn’t leave, not like that.

“You don’t want to talk about it? Find a resolution.

Raydor’s smile deepened.

“How about you find out what you want? Should you still want to talk, give me a call. I know how to cook. Then we talk.”

She turned and walked away. Having nearly reached her goal, she threw a look back.

“Who says you have to like the ones you kiss?”

With that she was gone, while Brenda was left shaking her head. What now? And would she ever know what she wanted?

Her cell phone started ringing, and looking at it, she saw Fritz’s number. She sighed. Somehow he wasn’t who she wanted to talk to right now. 

Picking up, she hoped he wouldn’t hear how troubled she felt.

“Fritzi, how are you?”


End file.
